Thranduil's Fireflies
by Sajira
Summary: Thranduil grants safe haven to a wandering elleth. Perhaps more. Rating may go up.


_So, apparently, this is what happens when you write fanfiction under the influence of wine...Also, the morning after I realized my cat had not slept with me, which is odd, because she always does. So, naturally, I panicked. After two hours of searching I found her on the steps outside of my home. I cannot for the life of me remember how she got out._

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Thranduil walked his gardens as night slowly fell. He had heard of an elf who had newly asked for shelter as she walked through Middle Earth. Now, you see, there were many elves that desired to walk the lands with no strings attached, but they rarely survived the dangers. Lord Elrond liked to gloat about the 400 years they had lived in peace, but Thranduil knew about the so called 'peace'. Orks, spiders and worse roamed his lands, and throughout Middle Earth there was even worse afoot.

But the Elven King of Mirkwood did not concern himself with the lands beyond his borders. Even so, he granted shelter to his kin. It was expected of him. He had tended to his kingly duties in the morning and afternoon, and as the evening fell, he went to look for Eilc, his elk. He was not in the stables, nor in the vast plains that stretched over Mirkwood. He wandered to the many pools where colourful fish swam to clear his head of today's tasks. He saw his elk lying on its side, a figure nestled against its flank. It was not common for Eilc to let others near, yet the King watched as the seemingly new addition to his realm snuggled to the brown fur, her own hair disappeared as it splayed across his mount's back, so similar a colour it was.

"You know, friend," a soft voice fluttered to Thranduil's ears. "I miss singing so much. I have to stay quiet in my travels..." she sighed, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders, just by the confession. A soft humming came from her, and soon the elk was bobbing his head in tune. One of his antlers hit her on the head and she squeaked. Eilc turned his head and snuffed at her hair in apology, but she just giggled and kissed his nose. "I'm fine."

"Perhaps you could sing _me_ a song?" Thranduil made himself known. As the elleth turned, her emerald eyes widened in recognition.

"Your Majesty!" she made to stand, but Thranduil lifted a hand.

"Stay. Eilc seems to enjoy your company." He stepped closer and sat by the elleth, his legs stretched in front of him as he leaned on Eilc. He watched as the elk turned its head again and laid it across the elleth's lap to lick at his owner's hand on the other side. The movement pushed the elleth closer to Thranduil, pressing the sides of their bodies flush together. Thranduil chuckled as she became rigid. "Don't worry. We don't bite." He smiled lightly at her pretty blush. "What is your name?"

"Ilithra."

"Ilithra, what a pretty name." He watched her blush deepen. "I believe I asked you for a song."

"Your Majesty, I really don't thin—" she jolted in surprise as Eilc started bugling loudly. She snapped her hands away from his head, where they were petting him.

"Shush, you rambunctious beast." Thranduil called over the racket the elk was making. "See, even Eilc thinks you should sing." He petted the brown nose and watched as the large head nestled back on Ilithra's lap.

"Well..." she bit her lip as her hands returned to bury themselves in the brown fur. "All right, let me think."

Moments went by as the darkness surrounded the pools. A firefly left its swarm and hovered by Ilithra's nose. Thranduil saw her eyes cross as the bug came closer and landed on her nose. She giggled as it lit up her face and flew away. She turned her eyes to Thranduil and smiled.

"_You would not believe your eyes_

_If ten million fireflies_

_Lit up the world as I fell asleep_

_'Cause they'd fill the open air_

_And leave tear drops everywhere_

_You'd think me rude_

_But I would just stand and stare_"

The swarm of bugs seemed to respond to her clear voice and flew this way and that, shadows across the trees became fainter as more joined the swarm.

"_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_'Cause everything is never as it seems_"

Fireflies flew closer and many landed on them, most on Eilc's antlers, much to his displeasure.

"_'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs_

_From ten thousand lightning bugs_

_As they tried to teach me how to dance_

_A foxtrot above my head_

_A sock hop beneath my bed_

_The disco ball is just hanging by a thread_

_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_'Cause everything is never as it seems_

_When I fall asleep_"

Eilc huffed and shook his head, sending the little balls of light scattered across the night.

"_Leave my door open just a crack_

_'Cause I feel like such an insomniac_

_Why do I tire of counting sheep?_

_When I'm far too tired to fall asleep_

_To ten million fireflies_

_I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes_

_I got misty eyes as they said farewell_

_But I'll know where several are_

_If my dreams get real bizarre_

_'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar_"

By now the bugs were surrounding them, their light shone and twinkled around them. Thranduil studied the elleth next to him. Bow shaped lips formed the words easily, her emerald eyes twinkled in the golden light.

"_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_'Cause everything is never as it seems_

_When I fall asleep_

_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_Because my dreams are bursting at the seams_"

When she finished, the light seemed to fade away, the bugs leaving again, until just a handful remained, flying around Eilc's antlers. The elk puffed at them, shaking his head to scare them away, but they just came back. At his shaking, Ilithra was almost hit by an antler, and Thranduil put a protective arm around her, pulling her away from the large head. With a loud bugle and an indignant huff the elk stood abruptly and trotted away, making the two elves fall back.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry!" Ilithra had fallen on Thranduil's chest and was scrambling away.

"No harm done." Thranduil held her wrist and raised himself on his elbows, his long body still stretched on the forest floor. She knelt next to him, sitting on her ankles and looked confused as he raised his hand to brush a dead leaf from her hair. "You have a beautiful voice." He could barely see her blush in the dark.

"Thank you, your Majesty."

They watched as Eilc walked around, shaking his head and huffing irritably at the fireflies chasing him. Ilithra covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her laugh.

"Are you enjoying your stay?" The king asked.

"Yes, your Majesty." She smiled at him. "I thank you for your hospitality. I think I'll be back on the road in a few days, I wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense." He shook his head. "You can stay as long as you please, my Lady."

"I'm not a Lady, your Majesty." Ilithra laughed quietly.

"Would you like to be?" he raised the hand still in his grasp and kissed it lightly. "I'm sure I could find a place for you in my court."

"And what would that place be?" she asked sceptically.

Thranduil looked her over once again before the words tumbled out of his mouth.

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_DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN! I'll post the next chapter if this one is well accepted._

_Reviews are love!_


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